Connecting
I literally cursed myself out this morning as motivation to get out of the bed and go for my morning run and yoga. I lay, turning off the alarm for at least a half hour, listening to the birds chirp outside my window, literally saying to myself, “I wish I were out there this beautiful morning, taking it all in.” And that’s when I flipped on myself and well, let’s just say rather harshly convinced myself that I could be out there if I’d just get up and go. So I got up and went.
It was a great run, just 30 minutes, but just a year ago walking 30 minutes would have been a bit of a chore for me. I had a little talk with myself along that run about why it is that negative motivation was more powerful to get me moving than remembering how wonderful I feel when I’m in my stride, connected with my breath, in awe of my body’s ability and strength, in awe of my perseverance and progress and that of the human spirit, in awe of the beauty of the morning and my connection with it.
I returned to the house, grabbed my yoga mat and spread it out in the middle of the front yard. It was a glorious morning. Blue skies, soft breeze, birds singing away. My first ujjayi breath reconnected me to myself, to my practice, to all of the beauty around me. My last ujjayi breath was as I lay in Shavasana gazing at the beauty of the green leaves of the tree above me against the striking blue morning sky. For a half-second I wanted to run and grab my camera. And then I didn’t. Some artists, I figured, live to capture the moment. I chose to be in the moment instead.
The part of me that chose negative motivation and the part that wanted to leave the moment and grab the camera are the same to me. They both pull me away from what is beautiful, what is real, what is true.
Connecting to what is beautiful, what is real, what is true is today’s tip for staying in balance.
Live healthy, live happy.
Namaste.
